How to Turn a Landline Phone Jack Into a Light

If you have a landline jack in an awkward place which would be suitable for an electrical outlet, this article is for you. Changing a phone jack into electricity is not as difficult as it sounds. If you follow these instructions closely, you should be on your way to enjoying light where you want it without all those ugly extension cords and adapters that you try your best to hide away.

Things You'll Need

A working phone jack (most phone jacks have between 50 -70 volts of electricity running through them at all times.

Screwdrivers

Wire Strippers

Two Resistors

A Regulator

A Small LED Light

A Hobby Box (hollow and found at any do it yourself store)

A small soldering gun

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Shut down electricity

Even though you are not working on an electrical outlet, electricity flows through phone lines there is a chance you could get electrocuted. Shut down the electricity.

Unplug your phone from the jack and then take your screwdriver to unscrew the two screws in an effort to remove the plate.

Pull the cord out once the plate is unscrewed, you will notice that the phone line only uses two lines, one conncected to the innermost right (negative) and the other the exact opposite: the innermost left, the positive. Take notes or color code these two wires as you will need them for later usage.

Remove the wires from the component they were externally attached too, there will now be two wires and the phone jack you have been working with. Cut and strip only one side of the phone jack wire, exposing about 1/2 inch.

Insert your phone jack wire through one of the holes in the hobby box, then tie it once. Make sure you can see it to work on it.

With you solder gun, solder the two phone lines to the regulator, then solder the bridge to the regulator. With the phone jack side that has not been spliced, plug back into the wall.